Charles J. Ping Award 2019

The Charles J. Ping Award was designed to recognize and honor undergraduate students’ outstanding leadership and contributions to community service on their campus and within their community. This year’s award recognizes Mike Angelo ‘19.

Mike served as chair of the Denison Venture Philanthropy (DVP) Committee. DVP is dedicated to affecting positive and meaningful change by understanding local community needs and engaging in a process of philanthropic evaluation and giving. In Licking County alone, over $10,000 and over 200 volunteer service hours are contributed annually through this program.

DVP’s assistance enabled the Together We Grow Garden to build a greenhouse. This structure accommodated programming for numerous groups including: veterans and their families, adults with special needs, and Newark City School students. In addition to producing fresh food for locals in need, the greenhouse programming also provides community engagement, therapeutic activities, and education on nutrition and cultivation of fresh produce. Along with the meaningful financial contribution, Mike also assisted with office administration and other essential duties while the greenhouse was being built. He consistently steps up to personally take on any task that needs doing with little regard for personal recognition or gain. Mike has been a leader of noteworthy merit and a true agent of meaningful, positive change. He currently serves on the Campus Affairs Council and the First-Generation Student Network. Mike consistently leads by example. This asset came to be greatly appreciated and recognized by his peers, as evidenced by his election to cabinet and so many other campus organizations. He is a valued member of the Denison community and the larger community of Licking County.